FARMINGTON — — With some lemonade, hard work and the hope of good weather on Memorial Day, a 12-year-old local girl is trying to raise $10,000 for Connecticut Children's Medical Center.

Grace Bergin, a student at West Woods Upper Elementary School, began running her lemonade stand a few years ago and raised $226 her first year.

Since then, money raised from the stand has increased to more than $2,000 a year, with additional donations coming from a website set up by the hospital for those who can't make it to the stand, Bergin's mother Jeanne Higgins Bergin said.

Last year, the fourth year Bergin operated the stand, she raised $9,425, about $2,000 of which came from the stand, itself.

Grace raises the money with little help except on the day the stand operates. She fills out all the forms needed to donate the money and to get the lemonade, which is donated by the Whole Foods supermarket, her mother said. She only needs her parents' help to pick up the supplies, since she can't drive.

"We are so proud of this kid; it's her thing," Bergin said. "She really wants to make a difference."

The inspiration for the lemonade stand came when Grace was given the book "Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand." Her mother said she wanted to raise money for local children, rather than Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.

But with the lofty goal of $10,000 this year, Grace looked beyond her single lemonade stand. She set up an additional lemonade stand at Naples Pizza in Farmington and will operate at Fleet Feet in West Hartford, Bergin said.

So far, Grace has raised nearly $20,000 for the hospital, her mother said.

The stand will operate on Memorial Day at 80 Main St., adjacent to the firehouse. Those interested in donating may also to to http://graceslemonadestand.kintera.org.